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Toxic Toy Tests Show High Chemical Contamination

Ecology Center's research show one in three toys are potential threats

By Lisa Wade McCormick
ConsumerAffairs.com

December 5, 2008
Tests on more than 1,500 popular toys reveal one in three contain "medium" or "high" levels of chemicals that could pose a threat to children.

And at least 20 percent of the toys tested by the Michigan-based Ecology Center contained lead — some with levels well about the 600 parts-per-million (ppm) federal recall standard used for lead paint.

Researchers at the non-profit Ecology Center tested the toys for such chemicals as lead, arsenic, and other harmful chemicals just in time for this year's holiday shopping season.

This is the second year in a row the center has tested toys for toxins that are associated with developmental and learning disabilities, reproductive problems, and cancer.

While these latest results may frighten parents — who haven't forgotten the millions of lead-tainted toys recalled last year — the tests actually show some signs of improvement.

"This is a good news, bad news story," the center's Jeff Gearhart told us today. "We did find 50 percent fewer toys (this year) with lead of over 600 ppm. Overall, we saw a reduction in the number of products of high concern.

"It's also good news that two-thirds of the products tested had lower or no detectable levels of chemicals," he added. "So we're trending in the right direction. But we're not ready to declare victory. There are still far too many toys out there with chemicals in them and this is still a significant issue."

Consider some of the center's findings:

• Lead is still a problem: Twenty-percent of the toys tested contained lead, including 54 products (3.5 percent) that exceeded the current 600 ppm recall threshold for lead-based paint. Disney's Hannah Montana "2 Hearts and HM graphic Necklace," for example, contained 406,510 ppm of lead. Lead level above 600 (ppm) will exceed the new legal limit set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which take effect in February. That means some of the toys on the shelf this holiday season would be illegal to sell two months from now, the center said. Health experts say lead can cause irreversible developmental and nervous system problems. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 40 ppm of lead as the maximum allowed in children's products;

• China's not the only problem: The center's tests did not find a consistent link between the country where a toy was manufactured and the presence of toxic chemicals. Its tests revealed 21 percent of toys from China and 16 percent of toys from all other countries had detectable levels of lead. Seventeen toys made in the U.S. were tested and 35 percent of those had detectable levels of lead. Two of those toys had levels above 600 ppm. A US-made Halloween pumpkin pin contained 190,943 ppm of lead;

• Lead isn't the only chemical: A significant number of toys contained other chemicals, including cadmium, mercury, arsenic, and bromine. Forty-five (2.9 percent) products contained bromine at concentrations of 1,000 ppm or higher. "This indicates the likely use of brominated flame retardants — chemicals that may pose hazards to children's health," the center said. Tests also found arsenic at levels greater than 100 ppm in 22 (1.4 percent) toys; 289 (18.9 percent) toys contained detectable levels of arsenic. Cadmium was also detected in levels above 100ppm in 30 (1.9 percent) toys; 38 (2.4 percent) contained detectable levels of cadmium. And mercury was found in levels higher than 100 ppm in 14 (1 percent) toys; 62 (4.2%) contained detectable levels of mercury;

• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC / Vinyl) in toys: Twenty-seven percent of the toys tested (excluding jewelry) were made with PVC. The center says PVC may contain additives, including phthalates, that may pose hazards;

• Jewelry Problems: Jewelry remains the most contaminated product category tested and tops the center's "worst" list. Children's jewelry is five-times more likely to contain lead above 600 ppm than other products, the center found. Fifteen percent of the jewelry tested (compared to 3 percent of other products) had lead levels above 600 ppm. "Overall, jewelry is twice as likely to contain detectable levels of lead as other products," the center said. "Numerous Hannah Montana brand jewelry items tested high for lead." The center now recommends that consumers avoid buying low cost children's jewelry.

Despite these grim findings, there is still some positive news for consumers.

The Center's tests, for example, found 62 percent (954) of the toys contained low levels of chemicals.

And 21 percent (324) of all products contained no chemicals of concern. Some of the center's "best toys" include the Autobot Classic Series: Red Alert and Hot Shot Transformers and Hasbro's Luke Skywalker & R2-D2 Star Wars figures.

"These products look and feel no different than other children's products on the shelf," the center said. "These findings show that manufacturers can and should make toys free of unnecessary toxic chemicals."

The Center used a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer to test the toys. This identifies the elemental composition of materials on or near the surface of the toys.

The Center's started testing toys last year in response to parents' overwhelming demand for information about toxic chemicals in toys.

Parents can now go to the center's Web site and find the test results on any of the toys tested.

"Our Web site is designed as a tool to get more information to parents who are looking at toys," said Gearhart, who spearheaded the project. "It's a way to give them a snapshot of what's in a product they're buying."

Besides educating parents, Gearhart said his organization also hopes to "fire up" consumers and get them interested in changing how these products are regulated.

"What consumers are finding out is that the regulatory structure now in place isn't adequate to assure that our products are safe."

"There is simply no place for toxic chemicals in children's toys," he added. Our hope is that by empowering consumers with this information, manufacturers and lawmakers will feel the pressure to start phasing out the most harmful substances immediately, and to change the nation's laws to protect children from highly toxic chemicals."

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